There is a lot more to breathing than meets the eye. While it’s an unconscious function, and something we don’t “have” to think about, there is a lot of benefit to bringing focused attention to our breath. Soon after leaving our home in 2009 we were advised by psychologist Dr. Robert Crago to learn how…

Pet owners will do well to observe the behaviors and health of their pets as they assess the health of their home. What can we learn about pets and the environment? The link between environmental exposures and animal health is not new. More than a hundred years ago, miners took caged canaries into the coal mines…

Can toxic mold cause type 1 diabetes? While potential triggers vary, research suggests that environment plays a critical role in the onset of autoimmune disease. (See Environment, Not Genes, Dictates Human Immune Variation, Study Finds.) As a mom of a son with type 1 diabetes, I am convinced our encounter with toxic mold contributed to…

As a certified Building Biology Advocate, I am often asked “What is Building Biology?” The answer is simple, but often ignored when designing our homes, offices, and schools. What is Building Biology? Building Biology is the study of the impact of the indoor environment on our health. Building Biology comes from the German term Bau-Biologie…

When I was growing up in the sixties in suburban Pittsburgh, most of my free time was spent outdoors. From tennis to Kick the Can to ice skating to sledding, I was outside in the winter, summer, and everything in between. Transitioning into my adult years meant increasing the amount of time in school or…

In the wake of increasing acts of violence, the Amercian Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued a new policy statement on “virtual violence.” Citing a child’s unrelenting exposure to media violence, the AAP policy statement calls for action on the part of parents, pediatricians, and legislators. What is virtual violence? According to the AAP policy…

MEET ANDREA

I am a certified Building Biology Advocate, a former journalist, mother of nine, and avid CrossFitter who likes to think outside the box. After our family's health crisis in 2008, I learned to ask questions about what's in our food, our water, and our air. I hope to empower you as you seek to live safely in a complex world. Thankfully, small steps lead to big changes. Let's travel this road together, one step at a time.

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10 Things I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)

1. The answer may be right in front of you.
2. Time is often the best medicine.
3. Speak kindly to yourself.
4. The air we breathe matters.
5. It's better to know than not know.
6. Relinquishment is a balm for the soul.
7. Symptoms will instruct if we listen.
8. Sometimes you're the expert.
9. Allow hindsight to move you forward.
10. The next step is enough.